WO2001086099A1 - Improvement to locking device - Google Patents

Abstract

Locking device for a housing which comprises two parts, one part, being displaceable with regard to the other part, said locking device comprising a first part thereof fixed to a portion of said housing, and a second part attached to the other part of said housing and displaceable with regards to said first part, characterized in that it cooperates with restrain means comprising at least one ball which is selectively urged in a radial direction blocking the movable part of the locking device, the ball being moved by the movement of a shaft having an evolutive diametrical section, said shaft cooperating with a rotary motor through a correspondent cinematic chain.

Description

IMPROVEMENT TO LOCKING DEVICE

This invention is related to a locking device cooperating with mechanical or electromechanical restrain means.

More specifically, this invention is related to restraining means using balls, which is rendered operative upon the reception of a determined instruction or command, allowing to activate, or deactivate, a lock securing a door or movable part allowing access into the inner parts of an housing such as a box, cabinet or locker to which said locking device is applied.

Field of the present invention:

This present invention concerns the restrain means working in cooperation with any known locking device, such as latches, bolts or the like, employed to close and secure a door, panel or inspection door which allows the inspection of the innards of a box, cabinet or locker which is usually closed. Also, this present invention is applicable to the restrain means securing a movable part of a casing, box, cabinet or locker in regards of a fixed part of this same casing, box, cabinet or locker. A particular use for this present invention is to lock casings, boxes or cabinets housing electronic circuitry, thus limiting its access only to the authorized personnel when an inspection, maintenance or servicing has to be performed.

More particularly, this present invention is applicable to a casing, cabinet or locker housing telephonic circuitry and mechanisms, without this introducing any limitative consideration for this invention. Still more particularly, this present invention is applicable to a casing, cabinet or locker housing public use telephone mechanisms and/or circuitry.

Prior Art related to this invention: It is a known fact that casings, lockers or cabinets, especially when they are metallic, housing in its inside the electronic circuits and mechanisms which should be kept out of reach of unauthorized persons, have an inspection or access door with a locking device, operable from the outside. To the ends of this present invention, the term "locking device" includes all the locking means, independently of its structure or nature, capable to assure the secure closing of the casing, locker or cabinet, thus protecting its inner parts and its contents.

These locking means are usually found blocked by a key lock, actuated from the outside or any other means capable to release a restrain device cooperating with said lock. It's a well-known fact that these known means releasing said restrain device are easily opened by unauthorized third parties, and particularly the drums of these locking devices are easily violated. Hence this present invention seeks to provide restrain means, which could cooperate with the locking devices in order to impede to any unauthorized third party forcing the lock, to open the lock and therefore the entry to said casing.

Another of the problems facing the known restrain devices are that the movements performed inside said casing, locker or cabinet should be simple in order to render them trusty and predictable, avoiding jamming or malfunctions.

Therefore it appears advisable for the Applicant to design said restrain devices with the less possible number of mobile parts and with the main movements directed parallel or coaxial to the displacement path of the lock. Such characteristics allow actuating said locks avoiding the change of the displacement axis of its movements when said lock is unlocked. It is a well known fact that the best way to provide a restrain means blocking the displacement of a lock is to directly limit the travel of said locking means, by means of a shoulder or stopping means with the necessary mechanical strength.

Further, it appear to the Applicant that if said restrain means must perform in a position placed afar from the actual locking means, then it is needed a cinematic mechanism with its necessary relative movements, which in time and allowing for its wear due to its components attrition, may produce frictional forces which ends by jamming the whole locking device, with its risks of breaking or seizure.

The present invention provide a locking means with a restrain device which is not actuated through a key-lock drum or any other mechanism capable to be picked from the outside, and which is solely operable by the authorized personnel, while its restrain action is performed directly on the travel path of said locking means.

Objects of this present invention: It is a first object of this invention to provide the doors or inspection panels of any housing, such a casing, locker or cabinet, with a restrain device applied directly on the locking device, placed inside said housing, being this restrain device actuated through a corresponding signal or command with its necessary validation, which energizes an actuating means capable to activate or deactivate said restrains means and therefore free or unclasp said locking means, freeing the lock and allowing to open said locker or cabinet.

It is also an object of this present invention to provide a restrain means performing its movements in a direction parallel or coaxial with the travel axis of said locking means;

It is still another object of this invention to provide a restrain means capable of directly providing the indication of a restrain or unclasped condition relative to the lock, acting in cooperation with the associated electronics, sending a signal which is fed into the control means and is therein transformed into an operative signal related to the state or security conditions of the housing, fed into a distant placed external control means.

It is a further object of this present invention to provide a restrain means having the less possible number of movable parts, thus executing the less possible amount of displacement movements, compatible with its intended results.

Brief description of the invention:

Restrain means applied to a locking device of an housing, of the kind of a casing, which defines a closed box, preferably, a metallic box. The housing has at least two parts, one part, such a door, being displaceable with regards to the remainder part of said housing, which is left stationary in relation to said displaceable part. Said displaceable part of the housing is selectively retained in a closed relationship with regards to said fixed part thereof by means of a locking device connected to an inner portion of both said movable and fixed part. Said locking device consists in a first part thereof fixed to a portion of said housing, and in a second part which defines a bolt means, attached to the other part of said housing and displaceable with regards to said first part. The displaceable part of said housing is movable, for example around its hinged axis fixed to said housing, when said second part of said locking device is displaced to a coupling position.

The restrain means are characterized by the use of ball(s) which are selectively urged in a radial direction blocking the movable part of the locking device, the ball being moved by a the movement of a shaft having an evolutive diametrical section, said shaft cooperating with a rotary motor through a correspondent cinematic chain.

In an embodiment said restrain cinematic chain comprises a tubular body which has an axial bore opened at both ends; attached at one end of said tubular body it is placed a rotary motor which selectively turns on its axis in both angular directions upon a determined command.

The output axis of said motor is coupled to the lower end of a cylindrical sleeve placed coaxial into the bore of said tubular body, turning said sleeve on its axis along with said output axis in a determined direction. While the tubular body remains fixed; hence only this sleeve is allowed to turn on its axis, having stop means limiting its axial displacement.

Said sleeve is provided with an inner axial bore coaxial to said tubular body and opened at least on its end opposite to the one coupled to said motoring means. Adjacent to said open end, the sleeve has on at least its inner surface a groove, which starts with a part thereof perpendicular to its axis, and is then obliquely continued following an helical path downwards, ending in a last horizontal part which is parallel to the first part, thereof completing this groove in its center at least part of a helical spire. Within the cylindrical inner passage of said sleeve it is lodged the shaft, coaxial to said tubular body and said sleeve. Said cylindrical shaft has a lateral salient, which lodges into said groove, this groove determining a guidance path for said salient. This shaft is axially displaceable within said sleeve and within said tubular body into two positions. One of said positions determined by its maximum axial travel of said shaft regarding said sleeve and corresponding to a locking position, while the other position corresponds to its minimum axial travel and it corresponds with a position in which the locking device is liberated from the restrain action. The cylindrical bore in said tubular body has, in correspondence with the maximum travel position of said displaceable shaft, a plurality of openings or windows which opens on its outer surface, which determines between said cylindrical bore and said shaft an annular chamber which includes said windows. Said displaceable shaft has on its free end, opposite to its end sporting said salient, at least a length of same with a gradual radial reduction of its diameter, which ends in a cylindrical end thereof with a lesser diameter than its initial diameter. Said diameter reduction of the shaft defines an annular cam profile. Therefore the annular chamber has variable dimensions as result of the position of the displaceable shaft in relation to the position of said windows.

Within said annular chamber it is lodged a plurality of balls, in equal number to the quantity of windows, being said spherical bodies urged by said cam profile; in correspondence to these balls. Said annular chamber has a dimension which is less than the diameter of each of said balls when said shaft attains its position of maximum displacement, urging a portion of each sphere outwards through its window. While in the position of maximum retraction of said shaft, said annular chamber presents a dimension which is greater that the diameter of each ball, thus determining said chamber in this position a lodging for all said balls within said chamber.

From said bore of the mentioned annular body it is projected another salient, which is lodged within a second groove which is longitudinal, performed in the cylindrical portion of said shaft surface and parallel to its axis, being this second groove placed before said cam profile. The shaft cooperates also with means for retaining said spheres, and electrical contacting means capable of indicating its attained restrain position.

With such embodiment of the restrain means, the locking device comprises, axial to said first tubular body and surrounding it, a second annular body. The second tubular body is axially displaceable along the general axis of the construction, defining said portions of balls protruding from said windows the blocking or restrain means restraining the axial displacement of said second annular body. Said second annular body is secured to the movable part of the locking mechanism.

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment of this invention:

In account of said novel means combination, many are the embodiments thereof that could be materialized, but with the sole purpose to provide an example of this present invention, it is now described one of its preferred embodiments, which is illustrated in the enclosed set of drawings, with the proviso that same are a mere example of this invention, given without any limitations purpose. Figure 1 depicts in perspective a simplified embodiment of this invention, shown attached to a bolt mechanism, which is generic and known in the Art.

Figure 2 shows schematically a simplified partial diametrical section of the device of Figure 1 , in its restrain position; Figure 3 shows schematically a simplified partial diametrical section of the device of Figure 1 , in its unrestrained position; Figure 4 shows section AA' of Figure 2 ; Figure 5 depicts section BB' of Figure 3 ; Figure 6 depicts section CC of Figure 3 ; and

Figure 7 shows in perspective, the shaft on its own.

In said figures, the same references are identifying the same components or means. In Figure 1 it is identified with reference (1) a generic lodging for a generic driving means (2). This generic driving means may consist in any means capable of turning a shaft, upon a determined command, being this command either mechanical or electrical. It is preferred that this turning means consists in an electric motor capable of turning in either directions, as indicated by the arrows in both Figure 2 and 3. This electric motor can be a CC. motor, which selectively inverts its polarity turning into a direction or the other upon a given command, or any other means capable of performing the same functions upon a determined command. It is neither relevant the power source or kind thereof. The preferred command is an external command, used to energize said electrical motor (2). This external command may be constituted by an numerical or analog signal, or also the insertion of an integrated circuitry with its own logic, which enables and activates in rotation said electric motor (2). It should be noted that is advisable not to make use of key lock drums, or the like, which are easily picked, event though this present invention can also function with said means.

The lodging (1 ) for this electric motor is coupled at one end (11 ) of a tubular body (10) with has an internal cylindrical bore (12). From the outside said tubular body (10) does not necessarily have to be cylindrical and it may have any given geometry, such a prism of parallel faces. The only condition to be fulfilled by this tubular body is that it must have a straight axis in its internal cylindrical bore.

Within this cylindrical bore (12) and at the end of this tubular body (10) coupled to the electric motor (2), it is placed a cylindrical sleeve (20), coaxial to said tubular body. This sleeve (20) turns on its axis and in relation to said tubular body, which is maintained in a fixed relationship, being this sleeve driven by said electric motor (2), when same is set in motion. This electric motor is coupled to a base or lower end (21) of said sleeve (20) by means of a traditional coupling, such as a diametrical groove (22) performed at the end (21 ) of said sleeve, lodging within said grove a flat surface projection (3) attached to said motor (2). When said motor is turning, said flat projection (3) also turns, driving said sleeve around its own axis. This electric motor (2) may conveniently have a reduction bloc, or a set of gears to this end.

The sleeve (20) has only one degree of liberty of movement, which is, said rotation on its own axis, having stop means impeding its axial displacement. Said stop means may be constituted by a reduction in the bore of the tubular body defining a torical shoulder (13) against which said sleeve rests while turning in rotation on its axis. Evidently the internal diameter of the internal cavity (12) must allow the lodging of said sleeve, further allowing same to turn on its own axis.

This sleeve (20) has an internal cylindrical passage, coaxial to the axis of said tubular body (10) and opened at least at its end (23), which is opposite to its coupling to said motor (2). Adjacent to the opened end (23) of said sleeve (20), in at least part of the internal surface thereof it is practiced at least one groove which starts which a portion thereof (24) which is perpendicular to the vertical axis of said sleeve, it is then extended diagonally along an helical path (25) downwards, until it ends in a last horizontal portion (26), parallel to the first one (24), and completing in its central portion a single helical spire, thus having the starting point and the ending point of this grove over a same vertical of said sleeve. Thus groove (24, 25, 26) may be a blind groove, or opened from the inner surface of the sleeve and connecting with the outer surface of said sleeve, such as it is shown in Figures 2 and 3. Also, it is possible to have more than one groove, and that each groove may complete more than one spire. Preferably, said groove starts and ends on the same generatrix of the sleeve. Within the internal cylindrical passage of said sleeve it is lodged a cylindrical shaft (30) which is coaxial to the tubular body (10) and said sleeve (20), having said shaft at least a salient (31 ) fixed to its lateral wall and projecting therefrom. It is to be found as many projecting salients (31) as grooves (24, 25, 26) said sleeve may have, each groove lodging the corresponding salient. This projection (31 ) lodges within its corresponding groove (24, 25, 26) of the sleeve that determines a displacement guide for said salient (31 ) when this sleeve (20) is turning on its axis.

When sleeve (20) is turning, this salient (31) is forced to travel on its guide grove, which forces the shaft to be displaced axially within said sleeve and within said tubular body between two positions, which are illustrated in Figure 2 and 3. Figure 2 shows said shaft in its foremost outward position or maximum travel, and Figure 3 shows same shaft in position of minimum travel or maximum withdrawal, that is, at its lowest position. These two positions are attained making the electric motor (2) to turn in one sense or the other, according to the command it receives.

At a determined height the tubular body (10) has a series of four openings or windows (14) that opens on its lateral surface, all these windows being placed at the same height, on the same plane. Between said cylindrical wall of the internal bore (12) and the shaft (30) it is defined an annular chamber (15). Therefore the cylindrical bore has in correspondence with the maximum travel of the shaft a cylindrical expansion which defines along with said shaft, said annular chamber (15).

Preferably, though this is not mandatory, just underneath said windows (14) there is an increase in the internal diameter of said bore (12), increase that defines the annular surface (16), perpendicular to the axis of the tubular body, delimited by the lateral walls of said tubular body. In this same position, the displaceable shaft (30) has towards its free end, opposite to the one sporting the salient (31 ), a first annular diameter reduction (32), followed by a portion (33) in which the diameter undergoes a progressive and constant reduction. This portion (33) may be constituted by a frustoconical portion, which ends in a cylindrical part (34), which has a lesser diameter that said first reduction (32), determining this series of diameter reductions a cam profile.

The minimum axial displacement or minimum travel of shaft (30) with regards to said windows (14) corresponds with the positioning of the lesser diameter reduction (34) facing said windows (14). Between this cam profile and the inner walls (12) of the annular chamber, it is placed four spherical bodies or balls, equal in number to the windows (14) in order to dispose one ball in front of each window, being said balls preferable placed on a common plane, establishing a circular crown. Since this cam profile has a shaft diameter which is variable according to the position of said shaft in regards to said windows, the position of minimum travel for said shaft corresponds to the maximum width of said annular chamber, width which is larger that the diameter of each of said balls, and consequently the balls are lodged within said annular chamber.

When the shaft is at its maximum travel position, that is, at the end of its travel, the annular space within said chamber is less than the diameter of each sphere, hence same are pushed by the cam profile out of the mentioned windows, protruding in said position out of the tubular body a portion of ball for each window (14).

Said balls may be in a number of one, two, three or more, and in the figures it has been depicted an embodiment of the invention with four spheres, but nothing impedes to vary the quantity of spheres and obtaining the same results.

Surrounding the first tubular body, it is placed a second annular body (40), which is axially displaceable along the axis of said first tubular body (10). This second tubular body (40) has an opening (41 ) through which it is passing said first tubular body (10). This body (40) has a length, which is sufficient to prevent a pitching motion, and with an inner diameter that ensures its displacement over (10). The portions of balls (17) protruding from said windows (please see Figure 2) are defining a restrain and locking means to the axial travel of the second annular body (40), while these same spheres when they are withdrawn within said annular chamber, allows the displacement of the second annular body (40) up to its position (40'), that is, the restrain on the movement of the second body (40) is thus eliminated. This second annular body (40) is attached to the movable part of a locking means (42), which cooperate with the remainder part of the locking device such as a hook or a bolt (44), which in its locked position rests on a window (43) of the moveable portion of the locking device, allowing to open or secure a corresponding housing. Under said annular chamber, from said internal bore (12) the tubular body (10) projects on its inside a further salient (18), which rests within a longitudinal groove (35), made on the cylindrical portion of the displaceable shaft, well before its diameter reductions and along one of its generatrix. This salient (18) when traveling with groove (35) impedes the shaft (30) from turning on its axis along with the sleeve (20), thus providing one degree of freedom, along its axis.

Said balls are retained within said annular chamber by a washer or similar means (36) attached to the end of the shaft. This washer conveniently may have electric contacts (37) that are enabled to close a circuit and send a signal indicating the restrain or free position of the locking means, and sending said signal to a circuit or microchip, in a known manner.

As an other embodiment of the invention the shaft having a lateral salient, which lodges into said groove of the sleeve could be replace by a screw-nut system.

It appears clearly that the restrain device following the invention is sure and secure. Such restrain device could be lodged within a closed box form by a part thereof that remains stationary, and another part which is removable in relation to said fixed part. This restrain device is affixed with the movable part of the locking bolt cooperating with the fixed portion thereof with is attached to stationary part of the box. This restrain means includes an elongated body housed inside an axially displaceable shaft, having this shaft a cam profile which enables to urge through appropriate windows, and outside the diameter of the elongated body, a ball and preferably a plurality of balls, that define a restrain means to the axial displacement of the locking device. Preferably the balls define a restrain means to the axial displacement of a second body surrounding the first body, being this locking device associated to said second body. The shaft is axially displaced by means of a sleeve that has an inner groove within which travels a salient belonging to said shaft, while this sleeve is capable of turning on its own axis in both senses, by a motoring means.

Claims

1- Locking device for an housing of the kind which comprises at least two parts, one part, being displaceable with regards to the remainder part of said housing, which is left stationary in relation to said displaceable part, said displaceable part of the housing being selectively retained in a closed relationship with regards to said fixed part thereof by means of a locking device connected to an inner portion of both said movable and fixed part, said locking device comprising a first part thereof fixed to a portion of said housing, and a second part attached to the other part of said housing and displaceable with regards to said first part, characterized in that it cooperates with restrain means comprising at least one ball which is selectively urged in a radial direction blocking the movable part of the locking device, the ball being moved by a the movement of a shaft having an evolutive diametrical section, said shaft cooperating with a rotary motor through a correspondent cinematic chain.

2- Locking means according to claim 1 , characterized in that said cinematic chain comprises a tubular body which has an axial bore opened at both ends; attached at one end of said tubular body it is placed the rotary motor which selectively turns on its axis in both angular directions upon a determined command.

3- Locking means according to claim 2, characterized in that the output axis of said motor is coupled to the lower end of a cylindrical sleeve placed coaxial into the bore of said tubular body, turning said sleeve on its axis along with said output axis in a determined direction, while the tubular body remains fixed; only this sleeve is allowed to turn on its axis, having stop means limiting its axial displacement.

4- Locking means according to claim 3, characterized in that said sleeve is provided with an inner axial bore coaxial to said tubular body and opened at least on its end opposite to the one coupled to said motoring means, adjacent to said open end, the sleeve has on at least its inner surface a groove, which starts with a part thereof perpendicular to its axis, and is then obliquely continued following an helical path downwards, ending in a last horizontal part which is parallel to the first part, thereof completing this groove in its center at least part of a helical spire.

5- Locking means according to claim 4, characterized in that within the cylindrical inner passage of said sleeve it is lodged the shaft, coaxial to said tubular body and said sleeve, said shaft having a lateral salient, which lodges into said groove, this groove determining a guidance path for said salient.

6- Locking means according to claim 5, characterized in that said shaft is axially displaceable within said sleeve and within said tubular body into two positions, one of said positions determined by its maximum axial travel of said shaft regarding said sleeve and corresponding to a locking position, while the other position corresponds to its minimum axial travel and it corresponds with a position in which the locking device is liberated from the restrain action.

7- Locking means according to claim 6, characterized in that within the cylindrical bore in said tubular body has, in correspondence with the maximum travel position of said displaceable shaft, a plurality of openings or windows which opens on its outer surface, which determines between said cylindrical bore and said shaft an annular chamber which includes said windows. 8- Locking means according to claim 7, characterized in that said displaceable shaft has on its free end, opposite to its end sporting said salient, at least a length of same with a gradual radial reduction of its diameter, which ends in a cylindrical end thereof with a lesser diameter than its initial diameter, said diameter reduction of the shaft defines an annular cam profile, therefore said annular chamber has variable dimensions as result of the position of the displaceable shaft in relation to the position of said windows.

9- Locking means according to claim 8, characterized in that within said annular chamber it is lodged a plurality of balls, in equal number to the quantity of windows, being said spherical bodies urged by said cam profile; in correspondence to these balls, said annular chamber has a dimension which is less than the diameter of each of said balls when said shaft attains its position of maximum displacement, urging a portion of each sphere outwards through its window, while in the position of maximum retraction of said shaft, said annular chamber presents a dimension which is greater that the diameter of each ball, thus determining said chamber in this position a lodging for all said balls within said chamber.

10- Locking means according to any of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises, axial to said first tubular body and surrounding it, a second annular body, the second tubular body being axially displaceable along the general axis of the construction, defining said portions of balls protruding the blocking or restrain means restraining the axial displacement of said second annular body, said second annular body being secured to the movable part of the locking mechanism.